The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-12-15


with each repetition, and her cheeks.got
redder and redder. II must know bet
ter than you, Rosie!'
Oh, OF course, you do not call it Civ
ing, but do. You we're standing BY. /
suppose, when he took it2 Your eyes
were cast down, and you put your most
becoming pout on? And now that Tom
Crichton, with his ten thousand a year,
falls in love with you and wants to marry
you, you are afraid poor Geoffrey Hamil-
ton will show him your photograph and
talk about your silly letters and make
mischief. You incorrigible little firt |!
1t would serve you right to be treated
as you have treated others. How many
men have you made fools of, l wonder :?
A dozen?'
The speaker spoke sarcastically; the
hearer was beginning to cry. The girls
were sisters; both young. both pretty
and charming, but Lefty, the younger,
was lovely, brainless little firt. The
elder, Rosalind. had plenty of brains,
but scarcely experience enough to enable
her to use them judiciously. She was a
beautiful creature to look at; warm
hearted and impulsive to . fault. There
was nothing she would not do or dare
for one she loved, and she dearly loved
her bewitching little sister, and rejoiced
with all her heart when the genial, good
looking young esquire" Tom Chrichton,
who came into the neighborhood to take
possession Of an unexpected inheritance,
fell in love at first sight with Lefty, and
proposed to her after q weeks acquain-
tance.
But Tom was quick-tempered, jeal-
ous young fellow, and he had already
spoken his mind to Miss Lefty about her
love of Irritation. She promised to amend
her ways, but it was more than she could
do to keep her promise when temptation
came in alluring guise.
Mireford was garrison town, and one
Of the gallant Dashire Regiment Geoff
rey Hamilton by name, had quickly
succumbed to the destinations of the
younger of the two daughters of the
widowed Mrs. Maitland, who lived in
a pretty cottage on the London road,
about half mile or so from Mireford.
1t was in vain that Rosalind warned the
needless young coquette that she was
treating poor young Hamilton disgrace
fully. But in good truth the young IN an
was very well able to take care of him.
self He was not very deeply wounded
but as soon As Chrichton appeared upon
the scene, he made up his mind to pun
ish Miss Lefty, if possible, for her tricks,
by pretending to be broken-hearted and
desperately jealous.
He was, however sufficiently in love
to be able to put lair amount of seri
BUSINESS into his reproaches; and when
he fatty refused to give up the photo
graph Lefty had given him, and one or
two absurd little notes she had written
to him, and glove he had purloined,
the silly girl was thoroughly frightened
and firmly persuaded that "Tom " would
hear all about it and break off his en-
gagement. Had Rosalind but known
how slightly Hamilton's heart was touch
ed, she would have quickly laughed
Lefty out of her fright; bnt when the
girl solemnly assured her that Geoff was
so much in love, and 30 angry and jeal-
Gus that she knew he meant to have his
revenge, the sensible elder sister forgot
that she was not living in melodram-
attic age; and, moreover, she quite over
looked the fact that Hamilton, being
gentleman. it was not likely that he would
act as if he were q cad.
So, on the whole, things were looking
very serious when, for the fftieth time
at least, Rosalind tried to make her sis
ter confess whether she had given Geoff
the photograph, or whether be had taken
it from Mrs. Maitland's album. She had
her own opinion on the subject so it
was really waste of time to cross ques-
ton the naughty little girl, who was
anxious to keep the peace between the o Id
love and the new.
Il think you are very unkind, Rosie"
she said at last; "and if You do not be-
lieve me, how can expect Tom to do
it ?''
"I do not expect Tom to do it! You
talk as if believing in You were a gym
nastic feat. know what should do in
Toms place, if another man told me he
had photograph Of the girl meant to
marry, and gloves and things
"He has only one glove and no things ?"
interrupted Lefty, whimpering. "Don't
exaggerate; and l gave Tom two pho
tographs-one sitting and one standing
and he has heaps and heaps of letters ~
"I hope the spelling is all right"
al hope 50. He is not much of .
speller himself"
"He spelt adored' with two DIS the
other dsy-'My addored one.' 1t looked
90 funny"
.Mr: Hamilton is away just now, is he
not ?'' Rosalind asked presently.
"Yee. He went to bis sisters wedding.
wish it was his own"
"He does not live in barracks, think p
"No; he has rooms in Diamond Cres-
cent, No. Is, and Gerard Townsend lives
with him."
"He is the woman-hsting person who
is reading for something and never goes
outa And now suppose you
are going to write to your adored Tom 1?
am going out for walk"
"And won: you advise me how to get
back my photograph ! wish l had not
given it to him"
aOh, 90 you did give it!''
sI am afraid / did," sighed Lefty.
But he begged 90 hard, and said he had
never cared enough for any girl to ask
for her likeness before"
Poor fellow! but he must give it up.
Now 20 and write your letter" And
Rosalind ran out Of the room.
About IN hour later young lady with
mackintosh on her arm knocked st the
door Of Is Diamond Cresesnk She had
evidently been walking fast for hen